Vlasenko: 50% of political prisoners are Crimean Tatars

Ukraine and the world community must not forget that sanctions against Russia have been imposed due to its flagrant violation of the international law.

KYIV (QHA) -

Ukraine should tackle a problem of IDPs’ integration at a state level, reported a QHA correspondent citing Sergei Vlasenko, MP and Chairman of the Committee on State Building, Regional Policy and Local Self-Government.

- Today we are somehow talking about the IDPs from Donetsk and Luhansk, at least remember them. But, unfortunately, this issue is not addressed at a state level at all. The state has not provided them with an opportunity to normally integrate into Ukrainian life, said Vlasenko.

He went on saying that so far the Crimean Tatar issue is one of the most important and urgent ones.

- Over 50% of the Kremlin's political prisoners are representatives of the Crimean Tatar people. The last straw was Russia’s decision to recognize the Mejlis as an extremist organization. The international community has imposed sanctions against the Russian Federation due to its violation of the international law and illegal annexation of Crimea. Unfortunately, our state’s policy has led to the fact that the continuation of sanctions is not associated with de-occupation of Crimea, but the Minsk process only. I believe this is a big flaw and it must be corrected, said the MP.

Today, June 15, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine holds Parliamentary hearings on the Strategy for Reintegrating the Temporarily Occupied Territory of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and City of Sevastopol.

The hearings are attended by government officials, parliamentarians, human rights activists and representatives of public organizations.